


A crown for two

by karasunotsubasa



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Bullying, Cards, Caste Heaven AU, Explicit Language, Fluff, I'm not going to hurt anyone THAT much, M/M, Some Humor, Tags to be added as I go, Violence, Work In Progress, also no volleyball sorry, asshole tsukishima, but only the verse not the plot, hinata/yachi friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-01
Updated: 2014-12-23
Packaged: 2018-02-19 10:34:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2385212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karasunotsubasa/pseuds/karasunotsubasa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kageyama is the king, he has always been the king, but now there's a lowly target in his way - Hinata. After lots of ups and downs - sometimes metaphorical, other times quite literal - they partner up to destroy the game's system and show the rest of the school the benefits of standing up for yourself. A revenge here and there might be involved, too. And who says they can't fall in love somewhere in between the wild chase after the king card and the struggle to stay alive? </p><p>cheesy and overdramatic, Caste Heaven!AU - discontinued</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Shall I make you a king?

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Caste Heaven](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/76226) by Ogawa Chise. 



> Please note that the manga this story was inspired on contains: rape, violence, bullying. It would be best if you read that first, but it is not necessary.

He was the king. He was always the fucking king. Kageyama’s scowl deepened as he stared out the window of his classroom. He didn’t even look for those damn cards, they just always ended up wherever he went. At times he was even debating if it wasn’t someone else who kept planting them on purpose, but there was no one who would give up being the king that easily. Which must have meant that fate was playing some sick game with him, crueller and more disgusting than the one his classmates enjoyed.

He was the king. The first time it happened he was surprised and looking forward to the promised privileges and power, but soon his eyes opened to the vile reality. The king wasn’t a king at all. The king was a ruthless ruler who was the leader of the bullies. The king’s permission was law, he was the one who decided who was to be bullied that week, and he was the one to punish the ones who refused to obey. Kageyama wanted no part in that.

The first few days he was flocked by other people, their smiles servile, ready to make his every wish come true just for a chance to move up in the hierarchy. He was disgusted. Girls flashed their chests at him, as if he was about to drool at the very sight of their skin. Boys were loud and overfamiliar, putting their sweaty hands on his arms and shoulders, making him shiver in repulsion. Was that what the king’s life looked like?

By the time of the second caste game, he gave up all pretences of caring and found himself a secluded spot under one of the trees in the yard. Everyone was frantically looking for the cards, while he himself took what was probably the best nap of his life. With a light heart, knowing that he was finally free of the burden that came with the crown, he went back to the school when it started getting late. Fate, however, had other plans for him.

Turning the corner right beside his classroom, he noticed a lonely card lying on the floor. Thinking that no one intelligent could drop any important figure in a place like this, he picked it up and turned in his hand to see. It was the king. The very same king he tried to escape. He would have dropped the card back to the floor if a loud ‘Kageyama’s got the king again!’ didn’t alert everyone in the class of his status. So he did the only other possible thing. He sighed internally and entered the room to claim his place as the king.

A similar thing happened during the third and fourth game, and by the fifth, Kageyema got used to being the king. Everyone knew about his distaste for the game and how he refused to let anyone get close to him or his power, and soon the nickname ‘the king of the court’ was circulating the school accompanied by snickers and laughter. The king of the non-existent court he was…

But it was fine with him, at least now he was left alone. He blinked back the memories, forcefully snapped back to reality when his desk was knocked into, and turned his head to the side. One of the targets, he believed his name was Hinata, looked up at him from the floor, where he landed on all fours. His face was pulled in pain and anger, but it was the eyes which glared holes into him that caught Kageyama staring. Two idiots from the middle class stood above him, and Kageyama realized the smaller guy must have been pushed.

He looked down at Hinata who scrambled to stand up. ‘You,’ he said, aware of the silence that suddenly rang through the classroom. Chestnut-coloured eyes widened when the teen raised his head to chance a glance at him. ‘Be careful where you walk.’

There was a feverish nod, as the small guy got up and run to the door, his footsteps loud in the corridor.

‘And you two,’ Kageyama turned and glared at the bullies. ‘Get out of my sight.’

This was the only good thing that came out of being the king, Kageyama thought as he watched the two leave the classroom. No one dared to disobey him. It was ridiculous how serious everyone treated this game. Why would the targets allow anyone to bully them? There might be a few who enjoyed that kind of treatment, but the rest? Kageyama would never grasp why they agreed to that.

Feeling all the eyes in the room on himself, his scowl deepened. He didn’t want them to think he was going to take an active role now. From the beginning he decided to go with the flow and allow the others to play, while he himself would just hold the crown and mind his own business. He didn’t stop the bullies, even though he had the power to do it. He believed that those who wanted saving could manage on their own. Stand up to the oppressor instead of hiding and bowing to their every wish. If someone ever managed to do that, to show him that they wanted to get revenge, that they wanted to fight, he vowed to himself that he would help them. But only then, he had no patience for mindless sheep.

So he waited, but the targets never reached his expectations. It disgusted him how easily people adapted to that form of life. Kageyama got up from his seat and left, the whispers following him until he slammed the door to the classroom with a loud snap. He wandered aimlessly through the corridors, refusing to go back to being stared at and whispered about as if he didn’t notice, and finally decided to take a nap on the rooftop. He was nearly at the top of the staircase when he overheard some voices coming from the bench in front of the door to the roof.

‘…and then Mizuki just pushes me and I slam into the king’s desk,’ one voice was complaining animatedly and Kageyama froze as the sudden realization struck him. This was the situation from minutes ago. So the voice must have belonged to… whatshisname, Hinata? ‘That was so embarrassing!’

‘But you didn’t get in trouble, did you?’ this voice was definitely female, and Kageyama leaned against the railing to listen. ‘My king would probably throw a fit if something like that happened…’

‘Nah, Kageyama’s not like that,’ Hinata said, and it somehow warmed Kageyama’s heart. ‘He mostly stays out of our hair, you know? He won’t help you, but he won’t bully you either.’ There was a short pause, after which came a hesitant continuation, ‘But he did kind of save me back there.’

‘Then you should thank him!’ the female exclaimed, her voice far too happy for Kageyama’s liking.

There was a short laugh from Hinata. ‘No way,’ the small guy said. ‘I appreciate what he did, but what would I be thanking him for? ‘Thanks for telling me not to bump into your desk, king’?’ he mocked.

Kageyama smirked and jumped over the last few steps. Heading towards the door, he knew they noticed him. And he knew Hinata was now praying that he didn’t hear him. Unluckily for him, Kageyama did. As he looked at the small guy, he saw the chestnut-coloured eyes widen for the second time that day, and the blush cover the other’s face up to the tip of his ears. His smirk sharpened.

‘You’re welcome,’ he said, walking past where the two were seated and out to the rooftop.

A warm gust of wind ruffled his hair, as he gazed at the clear sky. The door closed with a crunch of the hinges and Kageyama was left alone, still smirking lightly. He slumped under the fence, mind trying to recollect every detail about Hinata.

He knew the guy was small, the smallest in their year, barely 160cm. He also had a lot of friends, so that would mean he had to have a likable personality. From what Kageyama could remember, he also wasn’t always a target. He couldn’t remember much, but he would bet the guy was in the middle class at least once. He didn’t know what it was about Hinata, but something made him wonder if this small guy could be the one to finally butt his head with this ridiculous system they’ve been living under.

The memory of angry chestnut-coloured eyes made him smirk sleepily. Yes, maybe this was finally the time.

 

* * *

 

There was an insistent hand shaking him back to consciousness and Kageyama thought he would snap his teeth at it the very moment he opened his eyes. His glare pinned down the person responsible for his not so pleasant awakening and he could see Hinata gulp uneasily, his hand retracting quickly.

‘What the hell do you want?’ he grumbled out, not at all in the mood to talk. He hated when people decided to wake him up and then behaved like dumb halfwits, as if it was them who had been asleep moments ago.

His question hang in the air, the other teen squirming uncomfortably under his gaze. He grit his teeth, feeling his jaw crunch at the force. ‘Do not make me repeat myself,’ Kageyama hissed.

‘Oh geez, fine,’ Hinata snapped, getting up in a fast, fluid motion, startling Kageyama in its suddenness. ‘The classes ended 10 minutes ago, I thought you’d want to know. Sorry to have bothered you, your highness.’

Kageyama recovered from the surprise in time to catch Hinata by the rooftop door. Reaching behind the small figure, he pulled the knob and let the other through, stepping inside the school building right after him. He looked down into the confused chestnut eyes.

‘Thanks,’ he said with a small nod.

He was halfway down the stairs to the third floor, when Hinata’s voice stopped him. He raised his head to look at the teen.

‘Why did you help me?’ there was only curiosity in his voice and Kageyama debated answering him honestly.

‘I’m looking for someone,’ he replied instead. ‘Now, I’ve given you a chance to be the one I’m looking for.’

‘Was…’ Hinata blushed fiercely. Kageyama could see it even from the place where he stood, down another flight of stairs. ‘Was that a confession?’

He gaped. He was positive that his mouth was hanging somewhere around his knees as he stared at the other teen. A confession? Surely, Hinata wasn’t bad looking, and there was a part of Kageyama that was capable of cooing and melting at how cute the smaller teen was, but a confession?

‘The hell?!’ he screamed in shock. ‘Where did you get that idea from?’

‘I don’t know!’ the other screamed down at him. ‘You tell me, instead of giving all those cryptic messages!’

Kageyama rolled his eyes. ‘I’m not going to tell you anything now, it’s a test,’ he said, calming down. ‘If you pass it, I’ll explain the rest.’

Hinata stared at him in wonder, his brows furrowed in thought. ‘How do I pass it?’ he asked, and for a moment Kageyama wanted to tell him. He opened his mouth, and closed it just as fast.

‘You need to figure it out yourself,’ he turned his back on the other teen. ‘But I’ll give you a clue. Have you ever wondered why I don’t help the targets?’

He glanced through his shoulder at the top of the stairs. Hinata stood there motionless, chewing on his lip as he struggled to come up with a valid reason. His eyes, Kageyama mused, looked as if a flame was lit behind them. Bright and clear, they shone in the darkness of the corridor.

Without waiting for an answer, Kageyama turned and left. Hinata will be able to figure it out, somehow he knew that.

 

* * *

 

The next few days went as usual, Kageyama staring out the window as his classmates enjoyed the helplessness of those unfortunate enough to be targets. Every time Hinata was one of those bullied, Kageyama’s eyes would stray from the window and land on the small teen, looking for that strength of will to stand up to them. And for now, he was left disappointed every single time.

It was nearing lunch break and Kageyama decided to get something from the cafeteria, instead of eating the food he brought from home. He was about to leave the classroom when a sudden commotion at the front of the room stopped him in his tracks. Someone’s lunch box has been spilled on the floor in an unsalvageable mess.

‘My sister made it,’ Kageyama heard Hinata’s quiet voice, which was followed by a round of laughter. ‘You’re going to apologize.’

There was an unexpected change in the atmosphere and Kageyama smirked slightly. It seemed like Hinata was finally going to snap. He moved a bit closer, studying the other carefully. Small fists were clenched and there was a hard defiance visible in the way his jaw set. Chestnut eyes glared up at his opponent, unyielding. This, this was what Kageyama always wanted to see. Someone smart and passionate enough to defy the game’s system.

‘Me?’ Mizuki, one of the idiots in the middle caste, sneered down at Hinata. ‘I don’t have to do anything. It’s your fault, you were in my way.’

Hinata only looked at him, the fierce fire of anger burning in his eyes. ‘You’re going to apologize,’ he repeated.

The next few seconds happened so fast no one could react in time. Mizuki threw a punch at Hinata’s face, but the small guy jumped to the side and tackled the bigger opponent to the floor, punching him straight in the nose. There was blood, Kageyama noticed, as the two rolled on the ground punching and kicking to the cheers of the crowd. This wasn’t his definition of fun, he grimaced. He stepped to the front of the room and kicked Mizuki off of Hinata.

‘Enough,’ he growled, glaring. The blood dripping from the other’s nose stained his shirt and he had a quickly darkening bruise around his left eye. On the other hand, Hinata had a bloody split lip, and was clutching his ribs with one of his hands. Hinata might have been small, but he surely wasn’t weak, he gave as well as he got. Kageyama almost felt proud. ‘If you don’t want a teacher to come here, get yourselves sorted out.’

Mizuki was escorted to the bathroom by his friends and the crowd lessened, disappointed at the loss of amusement. Hinata slowly bent down disregarding his injuries and picked what was left of his lunch, throwing it into the trash, his face shadowed. He sat back at his desk, staring at his hands unseeingly. Kageyama returned to his seat and picked up his own lunch box. He set it down in front of Hinata, who looked up at him with confusion.

‘You passed,’ he said.

Chestnut eyes widened. ‘Will you tell-‘

‘After classes,’ he cut the other short. Hinata nodded and took his lunch in slightly trembling hands.

 

* * *

 

They were sitting across from each other, Kageyama closely watching as Hinata fidgeted in his chair. It was somehow amusing that he held so much power over the other. And why? Simply because he was the king of some stupid game. He smiled sourly, turning his head to the side.

‘Do you like the caste game, Hinata?’ he asked without looking at the other.

‘There’s nothing wrong with the game,’ came an immediate reply, followed with a shrug. ‘I just don’t like the bullies.’

Kageyama’s lips twitched, but he didn’t smile. ‘I don’t like bullies either,’ he agreed.

‘But you’re not stopping them, even though you have the power to do so. Why?’

Hinata’s eyes were full of curiosity. There was no reprehension in his expression, only genuine wish to understand. And Kageyama felt himself answering.

‘Because you aren’t mindless sheep. If you don’t like something, say it. If you don’t want to do something, don’t do it. Why do you even need protecting? Protect yourselves, fight for your own.’ He smiled a bit. ‘Like you did today.’

‘Wait, so that was your test?’ Hinata asked incredulously. ‘Punch a guy and make him bleed?’

Kageyama stared. And then he laughed. Hinata was so simpleminded. And yet, the best part was – he wasn’t wrong. He took a while to get himself under control, and feeling lighter than before, he looked at the confused sulk on the other’s face.

‘I just wanted to see you stand your ground, I didn’t mean for you to start a fight, but I guess that worked well too,’ he said.

‘It’s not like I could have helped it, you know,’ Hinata shrugged. ‘I wasn’t really thinking back then.’

Kageyama hummed. ‘I noticed.’

They sat in silence for a while, studying each other. Hinata’s face was round, some might have said it was childish, but it suited him well, Kageyama thought. He was of a small build, height and body proportions alike. But from what he has seen of it, his spirit was twice as big. Hinata didn’t belong to the handsome category, he was more of the beautiful, or even cute type. Especially with the now split lip that was already swollen, making his lips darker and plump.

Unknowingly, Kageyama reached a hand and cupped his chin, slowly sliding his thumb across Hinata’s bottom lip. It was soft, all but the part where the skin ripped. His hand was slapped away, and as he looked up, he noticed Hinata’s blushing face was too close for comfort. Only then did Kageyama realize what he was doing.

‘Sorry,’ he mumbled, leaning back in his chair. ‘I was thinking how tough you were to escape only with that,’ he nodded at the other’s lip. ‘I didn’t expect that from you.’

Hinata snorted, ‘I bet no one did.’ He looked away, his face becoming grim. ‘After all, I’m a shorty target.’

‘And you believe that?’ Kageyama asked. ‘After blackening Mizuki’s eye?’

There was a tiny smile on Hinata’s face as he remembered the happenings of this afternoon. Though it disappeared as soon as it came, leaving the other in the same sullen mood as before. ‘That’s only Mizuki.’

Kageyama smirked. He knew he had him, now Hinata couldn’t say no to his proposition. He leaned forward and looked straight into chestnut-coloured eyes.

‘Do you want to take revenge on them all?’ he asked. ‘To show them what kind of person you really are?’

‘There’s no way I can do that,’ Hinata shook his head in denial. ‘I’m only a target, remember?’

‘Then…’ Kageyama’s smirk sharpened. ‘Shall I make you a king?’

 

* * *

To be continued...

* * *

 

 


	2. Be my knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the game begins...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anonB suggested a short introduction to the game for those who have not yet had the pleasure of reading caste heaven. I think the whole thing will be sufficently explained in this chapter, but if not, I'm adding a short explanation in the end notes ^u^)b

It was amusing and terrifying at the same time how easily people adapted to having their lives controlled. Some tried to fight, but it was useless when the rest simply looked away, even though they were trying to save them. Kageyama knew that to change it, and to escape that cruel caste system, they would have to do it by force. There was no other way, it had to be done.

A few weeks have passed since that rewarding conversation between him and Hinata in the empty, lit with the last rays of the setting sun classroom. Kageyama came back to that memory many times, still surprised by how it all turned out. At first he didn’t want any part in this ‘overthrow the system’ plan, he just wanted to get rid of the king card that haunted him, and Hinata was the perfect candidate.

Even back then, in the classroom, all he thought of was tricking Hinata into accepting it. And when the smaller teen did, Kageyama felt a sense of accomplishment. It didn’t last long, his conscience stirring in guilt as he came to know the other better. Hinata was a cheerful guy, sometimes a bit too loud for his liking and annoying him more than he would ever admit out loud, but he was also hard-working and honest to the point of rudeness. Kageyama, against his own better judgement, started to get attached to the presence of that high, squeaky voice around him.

And the guilt kicked him in the gut every time Hinata smiled at him with gratitude shining in his chestnut-coloured eyes. From the very beginning, from that moment he laid his eyes on Hinata, Kageyama knew that just swapping the cards would be selfish, he knew that and he didn’t care. But those eyes… Somehow, Hinata _made_ him care, and Kageyama found himself willing to lend his hand all the way, until they see the caste game crumble.

‘Kageyama!’

He heard Hinata’s voice and stopped, turning towards where it came from. Throughout the few weeks they spent around each other, their relationship changed. There was no cold reservation the strangers had, or any of the politeness or respect. They were hardly friends, but somehow, they could understand the other perfectly. No words were needed, only one look was enough. Kageyama often wondered where this mysterious trust was coming from, but as of yet he had no answer.

Hinata came to a stop next to him, smiling up in greeting. He nodded in return and they walked slowly towards the classroom. Hinata was babbling about something his sister did, and Kageyama tuned him out. He noticed the stares they were getting, the whispers that followed them through the school. It was sure to happen, sooner than later, he thought. He was a king and Hinata only a target, after all.

He sneered inwardly at all of them. They probably thought he finally started to participate in the game and was using Hinata as a lackey. It was ridiculous. They judged someone only on the basis of the card they were lucky, or as in his case – unlucky, to get. Glancing down at the animatedly talking Hinata, Kageyama smirked. Soon everyone will know, soon they will show them how wrong the caste game was.

 

* * *

 

The days were calmer now. After the incident with Mizuki, Kageyama made sure that Hinata was always in his sight and the whole class noticed his protection, slowly backing off and focusing on the other targets. Hinata seemed unaware of it, but Kageyama knew better than to believe that. He noticed how at times those chestnut-coloured eyes narrowed, highly alert and contemplative. This, more than anything, solidified his decision. Hinata was the one he needed. And it was only fair that Hinata needed him too.

They ate their lunches on the roof, it became a hideout of sorts for the two of them. No one dared to bother the king, and it was nice and comfortable, the summer breeze petting their hair and cooling their bodies after being cooped up in the stifling classroom all morning. Today was just the same.

Kageyama finished his lunch box and with a content sigh looked up at the cerulean sky. The puffy white clouds moved lazily across the ocean of blue, relaxing the tension in his muscles. Hinata was still munching on some of his leftover bread, his head propped on his hand.

‘Hey, Kageyama,’ he called, dark blue eyes shifting their attention towards him. ‘Can I ask you something?’

‘I believe you just did, dumbass,’ he answered, but there was no real bite behind his words. He felt too good right now to get provoked into an argument. ‘But go ahead, ask.’

There was a short pause, and for a moment Kageyama thought Hinata changed his mind, when the question made his pulse quicken.

‘How is it that you’re always the king?’ the calculative, bordering on dark, look was back on Hinata’s face. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen you as anything other than the king.’

‘Because I wasn’t, I’ve always been the king,’ he answered. He skipped the part how much he hated it, and how he thought it all was just someone’s sick game as they watched the others struggle and fight teeth and nail to hold even that little shred of dignity. ‘Somehow the king card always ends up in my hands, don’t ask me how, it just does,’ he shrugged.

‘So you don’t look for them?’ the smaller guy was clearly surprised.

‘What’s the point? I usually take a nap and by the time I’m back in class, I stumble upon it.’ Incredulous chestnut eyes gazed at him and Kageyama wanted to chuckle at how dumb the other teen looked. He allowed himself a small smirk. ‘It’s kind of amusing, watching all of you run around the school on a wild goose chase.’

Hinata snorted. ‘I bet,’ he said, turning away. Kageyama almost forgot, Hinata was one of those idiots not that long ago. There was a brief moment of uncomfortable silence, and then Hinata smirked at him. ‘But I guess it works well for us, doesn’t it? We won’t have to look hard for the king.’

‘That’s true,’ he agreed. ‘It’ll come to us.’

His tongue numb in his mouth, Kageyama grimaced. It’ll come to _me_ , he thought. He quickly averted his eyes so that the other couldn’t see the disgust shining in them brightly. But before he did, he caught a glimpse of the new emotion that lit Hinata’s expression.

There were times when Kageyama wasn’t really sure if it was him who caught Hinata on the promise of being the king, or if it was Hinata who caught him at wanting to get rid of it. Hinata might not have looked it, but Kageyama suspected that under that wild mop of orange hair he hid some really terrifying intellect, maybe even one topping his own. He wasn’t completely comfortable with it, but as they worked together towards the same goal, he was willing to turn a blind eye.

Or maybe all of that was him being overly paranoid, he thought, and Hinata was as dumb as he behaved. The smile stretching Hinata’s lips made Kageyama shiver in unease.

 

* * *

 

It was just as they came back to the classroom, right before the bell rang, that they noticed it. An ominous, black box of poker cards was lying on the teacher’s desk, its empty insides staring at the class challengingly. Hinata looked at him, the excitement and worry mixed in his gaze. Kageyama only nodded, it was time to put the plan into motion.

They took their respectable seats and the afternoon lessons started. The tension in the room was palpable, students thinking only of the upcoming game. The hours dragged on and when the teacher finally left, there could be heard a collective sigh of relief and an answering murmur of excitement. It wasn’t even 10 minutes later, when the game committee entered and the game began.

Kageyama was the last to leave the classroom. He and Hinata agreed to act separately during this game, both looking for the highest card they could find. But he knew he’ll find the king in the most inconspicuous of places, so instead of rushing it, he took a lazy stroll down the halls and out, towards the baseball field. He loitered around a bit and turned back to the school building.

People were running through the corridors, checking the classrooms and broom storages, some were even outside rummaging through the bushes. Kageyama smiled grimly, soon it will be over. Forever.

 

* * *

 

Unbeknownst to Kageyama, Hinata was having a harder time than they anticipated. He had found some low number card in one of the plant pots in a classroom on the second floor, but he quickly discarded it. This wasn’t what they wanted. This wasn’t what _he_ wanted. He’d like to rely on Kageyama’s luck to find the king, but just in case he didn’t, Hinata wanted to be prepared.

He took the staircase up to the third floor when a flash of white stopped him in his tracks. He bent down to look closer, and yes! It was another card, stuck to the railing and waiting for him to pick it up. With nervous anticipation, Hinata took it and turned around to see what it was this time. A jack. It was a good card, a very good card, the card of the higher class. He smiled, this could do well.

He was about to take another step up the stairs, when a shadow fell on his small figure. Chestnut-coloured eyes looked up and widened briefly, before they narrowed in anger.

‘The hell you want, Mizuki?’ he snarled, grasping the jack tighter.

‘Just wondering what card made you smile like that,’ the other answered, a malicious gleam in his eyes.

‘It’s none of your business,’ Hinata said. He took a step down, ready to run away at the slightest move from Mizuki.

‘He has the jack,’ there came a voice from behind him and Hinata suddenly felt trapped.

He looked behind and noticed one of Mizuki’s friends blocking his way. He was in the middle of the stairs, with no way up and no way down. He couldn’t escape. Hinata felt the cold sweat bead on his forehead. If he let them have the jack, they would probably let him go. But if he gave it to them, the chances that he would find anything this good in the short amount of time there was left were more than slim, they were non-existent. He swallowed loudly.

‘I’m not giving it to you, if that’s what you want,’ he said, glaring at Mizuki daringly.

‘Oh, I didn’t say give,’ the vile smile on the other’s face made Hinata nauseous. ‘How about we trade?’

‘Trade?’ There was no way Mizuki found something better, which meant he just wanted to force him to give him the jack. ‘For what?’ Mizuki raised one of the numerals and Hinata snorted. ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’

‘You’ll trade me, if you want to get away from here in one piece,’ Mizuki threatened, stepping closer.

‘And if I won’t, you’ll do what? Blacken my eye?’ he jeered, reminding the taller teen how their last fight ended. The fight that _he_ won.

‘It’ll take only a little push to call it an accident, you know…’

There was a shadow on Mizuki’s face and sudden fear gripped Hinata by the heart. Because Mizuki was serious, he would really push him down the stairs if he refused. Thinking frantically through his wildly beating heart, Hinata found the only answer possible. He took a deep breath and looked the other in the eye.

‘You don’t deserve the jack, I’m not giving it to you.’

And he jumped over the railing and down to the staircase to the first floor. The shock flashed up his legs at the strain, but Hinata bit his lip and run. He could hear them chasing after him, so he hid the card in one of his back pockets. It wouldn’t be funny if he lost it now.

He didn’t know where to run, he should probably hide, or better yet find Kageyama, but he had no idea where to look. Hearing Muziki’s swearing nearing closer, he sprinted to the other side of the building and climbed up the stairs to the second floor. Throwing open the door to the nearest classroom, he hid inside. He blocked the door with a chair and backed away, hoping they wouldn’t notice him. But they did.

Hinata opened the window and glanced down. It was too high. Why did he even think running up to the second floor was a good idea, he just trapped himself. He cursed his own stupidity. Looking back from the door to the window, his eyes widened at the figure walking down the alley.

‘Kageyama!’ he leaned out of the window, waving.

The other teen noticed him and came closer until he stood under the window. ‘Did you find something?’ Kageyama asked, covering his eyes with his hand to block the last rays of the setting sun.

‘Yeah, I did,’ he smiled proudly, forgetting for a moment about the chase. ‘A jack!’

‘Good job,’ Kageyama praised with a small smile. ‘Come down, we can go find the king.’

‘Ah, about that-‘ He stopped and looked inside the classroom as the door was nearly busted open. He swallowed with difficulty and took out the card from his pocket. ‘Take the card, Kageyama!’

‘Wait, are they chasing you?’ dark eyes shadowed, and Hinata could swear he saw boiling anger inside the dark orbs, but he was too far away to be certain.

‘It doesn’t matter, just take the card,’ he hurried the other.

‘Hinata, jump!’ his eyes widened, as he looked down at Kageyama. The guy was insane, he’d break his legs, if not his neck.

‘I’m fine!’ he shouted back. ‘Just take the card!’

The door flew open and a glaring Mizuki stepped into the room, his friend in toe. Hinata swallowed the fear and turned back to Kageyama.

‘Damn it, you idiot king, take the damn card!’ he yelled.

‘Shut up, you dumbass!’ Kageyama roared back at him. Hinata’s eyes were pleading with him, but the hard blue was immovable. ‘Just believe in me and jump!’

Hinata’s breath caught in fear. He couldn’t, it was too high. Mizuki smirked at him and took a step in his direction. For the second time that day, he was cornered. And then and there, Hinata decided. If they were ever to succeed with this plan, they had to trust each other. So now, he would trust Kageyama. He put his legs over the window frame, closed his eyes tightly and jumped, holding tight onto the jack card in his hand.

He expected the hard impact with the ground, probably some broken bones. What he didn’t expect was Kageyama catching him, as if he practiced such manoeuvres daily, and both of them tumbling down under the weight. It still hurt, but this hurt he could deal with. Still lying down and looking up at the window he just jumped out of, Hinata started laughing. Hysterically and uncontrollably. When he finally calmed down and sat up, he glanced at Kageyama who was scrambling back up from under him.

‘You’re insane, you know that?’

‘And your point is?’ Kageyama frowned at him, his brow furrowed.

‘It’s a good insane,’ Hinata answered, smiling. ‘I like it.’

Kageyama only snorted.

 

* * *

 

After Hinata’s jump they were both bruised and hurting in various places, so instead of looking for the king like they intended to do according to the original version of the plan, they decided to go back to the classroom. The shortest way possible.

They walked down the line of the building, Hinata moaning and complaining with each step. Kageyama suffered in silence, praying for patience, so that he wouldn’t strangle the shorter guy. They took the corner, when suddenly Kageyama noticed a flash of white on one of the window sills. He sighed and leaving Hinata on the pathway, stepped onto the lawn. Ignoring the confused teen, he reached up and took the card, turning it in hand. With a small smirk of victory, he showed it to Hinata.

‘See? I told you I always get the king,’ he boasted, for the first time in a long while happy that it was this card and not any other.

‘I didn’t actually believe you before, but wow,’ Hianta’s wide eyes looked up at him from the card. ‘You’re like a king magnet,’ he laughed.

Kageyama smirked lightly. ‘Yeah, that’s why we met.’

Because Hinata was a king material, unlike Kageyama. He was quick to help others despite his fear, he wasn’t one to bow down, even though he was easily intimidated, he had the strength of will to lead people. He had everything Kageyama was lacking. But he didn’t dare say it out loud. Instead, he stepped closer to Hinata, offering him the card.

‘I promised to make you a king,’ he said looking into the chestnut-coloured eyes that watched him with that calculating, unreadable expression. ‘Take it, it’s yours.’

Hinata stared at him for a long while, making Kageyama somehow embarrassed. When Hinata reached a hand towards the card, Kageyama almost sighed in relief. But the smaller teen only brushed his fingers across its edge, eyes distant.

‘It seems… heavy,’ he whispered, as if afraid to speak louder.

‘It is,’ Kageyama agreed. He still felt the burden of bearing that card on his shoulders. He wanted to get it off, and his only option was Hinata. ‘But you have the strength to do it.’

‘You know,’ Hinata’s raised his head and looked him in the eye, smiling lightly. ‘You were a good king, Kageyama. The best I could have wished for.’

A warm feeling of gratitude spilled in his chest. Only now did Kageyama realize that he had always wanted to hear that. That what he did wasn’t cruel, that he was right. A touch of real smile lifted up the corners of his mouth.

‘Thank you,’ he said with a small nod. ‘I’m sure you’ll be a good king too, Hinata. Probably even better than me.’

Hinata shook his head. ‘I seriously doubt that,’ he pulled his card from one of his pockets. ‘That’s why I could use your help. Be my knight, Kageyama,’ he looked at Kageyama with determination clearly visible in his eyes.

The jack was pointed his way. Kageyama had to fight the urge to roll his eyes, Hinata could be so dramatic. Without missing a beat, he answered:

‘Wasn’t that the plan all along?’ He took the card, and when he did, Hinata finally got the courage to do the same.

‘Oh shut it, I just wanted to sound cool,’ Hinata chuckled, his eyes shining with excitement as he looked his card over.

‘Well, you didn’t,’ Kageyama smirked at the other’s offended pout.

His arm was punched lightly, and Kageyama only snickered. Somehow, all the weight he was carrying up till now was gone. He felt light and happy, free of the king curse that haunted him ever since the first caste game.

They slowly walked back to the classroom, bantering. A few minutes after the game committee put down their names and new statuses, the game came to an end. Kageyama breathed in deeply. He was free.

‘As of right now, the caste game has ended. The new king of grade 1 class 2 is Hinata Shouyou. The rest of the caste will be available on the announcement board tomorrow,’ the voice in the speakers informed all the participants.

And Kageyama realized. He wasn’t free, not really. He looked at Hinata and the smaller guy smiled at him excitedly. Kageyama felt something heavy settle in his chest. It wasn’t over yet.

 

 

* * *

To be continued...

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the so called 'caste game' is a game each class plays in order to establish the hierarchy - the top is the higher class (with the king, queen and jack cards), then there is the middle class (with the lower cards - numerals), and the targets are all those who either disobey the system, don't find a card, or end up with the joker card. The hierarchy is absolute, once its been established, it can't be changed until the next game is held. So when an empty, black box of poker cards appears on the teacher's desk in a class, it means that there will be a new caste game in this class.  
>   
>  The rules to the game are simple: find the highest card possible AND BRING IT BACK TO THE CLASS. It doesn't matter if you find a card first, the only thing that's important is that the game committee sees you with the card and puts your name and your status on paper. You can trade others for better cards, there's also the possibility of extortion or even fighting for the same card. Everything is fair game. The only important thing is to bring back the highest card possible.  
>   
>  The cards are hidden all around the school, and no one knows where, so it's a fair game. Once the game is over, students must obey the system and act according to their ranks. If you're a King you can do almost, no scratch that, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING. And no one can say anything about it. The same goes for the Queen, although she submits to the King. The Jack submits to both, the Queen and the King, but rules over everyone else. And so on and so forth.  
>   
>   
>   
>  That's my understanding of the canon verse of Caste Heaven. And a bit more about my AU:  
>   
>  There is also the Court, which is simply the King's group of friends. They can even be the targets, although that's in bad taste. But, as the King can do anything they want, the targets can be included in the Court. Usually the Court consists of the King, the Queen and the Jacks - the higher class. But all of that depends on the King's will.  
>   
>  There is also a pact between the Kings in school to not meddle in each other's affairs. It basically means that each King rules his class and leaves all the rest of the students to their own Kings.  
>   
>   
>   
>  And I think that is the gist of it, if you have any more questions, please let me know in the comments, I'll be happy to answer! Or simply read Caste Heaven ;3


	3. The king and his knight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: this chapter contains physical violence, and what follows - some blood and gore, so if that's not your thing, you might want to skip the end of this chapter

Gossip and rumours are a scary thing, Yachi thought as she stayed hidden behind the closed door to one of the stalls in girl’s bathroom, and listened in on a conversation the two girls at the sinks had. The new caste game in class 2 and dethroning of the King of the Court was a hot topic in the whole school. It’s been a week already, and the matter didn’t seem to quiet down at all. She was super happy when she saw the announcement board one morning with Hinata’s name on the top of the pyramid. He was her best friend, through good and bad, and all she wanted was to run and congratulate him, but she had more pressing matters to take care of. Unlike him, she was still a target, and as a target she had to prioritize her safety. Hinata could wait, she hoped.

She gulped with uneasiness, taking a clumsy step back. A shadow fell underneath her stall, and all Yachi could do was pray not to be noticed. The person on the other side moved and the door next to hers squeaked. She breathed a sigh of relief through trembling, cold lips and wiped her sweaty from fear hands on her skirt. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest, hammering against her ribcage painfully. She took deep breaths and tried to calm it down, scared that the others might hear how loud it pounded.

Up till now, she somehow managed to avoid being bullied too much, but the last few days were an absolute nightmare. The girls in her class, even those she considered friends, turned their backs on her. And the boys… Some pretended she didn’t exist, others used her as a maid, but that she was okay with. What she couldn’t stand at all were the leers and snickers, how they shamelessly flipped her skirt, tugged at her hair or touched her chest ‘to check if she was really a girl’. Tears of humiliation and embarrassment stung at her eyes and Yachi wiped at them angrily. She was stronger than that, she won’t give in.

‘Now look what I found here,’ Yachi’s heart froze and with growing trepidation she looked up at the person looming over her from another stall. ‘Why are you hiding, Hitoka? Shouldn’t you be with Yamane now? He was looking for you, you know.’

The ugly smirking face of one of her friends… No, they weren’t friends anymore, Yachi thought. They were enemies. Everyone was her enemy. Surprisingly, she didn’t feel broken because of it. It was as if a part of her has already expected this turn of events, and now it was only a cold confirmation.

‘Answer me, you bitch!’ the snarl from above startled her.

And Yachi bolted. She threw open the door to the stall she was hiding in and run for the door the fastest she could. Without slowing, she turned back to see if they were coming after her and a second later she was falling to the ground, the impact of bumping into something sending her sprawling. When she looked up, her eyes widened in panic.

She did it this time. She run into Tsukishima, the king of her class. And more than that, judging by the books scattered all around them in disarray, he must have dropped them on the impact. He might have gone easy on her if she only bumped into him. But she caught a glimpse of his cold, burning with barely withheld anger eyes, and knew it was over. Yachi swallowed the bile rising in her throat.

‘How dare you bump into your king, trash?’ the hiss coming from the other’s mouth made her hair stand on ends.

‘I-I’m sorry, I was just… It was an accident, I swear, I didn’t mean to-‘ she shut up all at once as the teen took a threatening step towards her.

She was still on the floor on all fours, kneeling before Tsukishima. People were stopping all around them to see what was going on, their gazes interested, but none offering to help. She looked down in shame.

‘I’m really sorry,’ she whispered, wishing for it to end.

‘Do you think ‘I’m sorry’ is going to cover it?’ A shoe came into her line of sight and before she could react, it stomped on her fingers. It hurt, it hurt _a lot_. ‘Don’t be so cocky with me, you shitty target.’ The pressure on her fingers was even greater now and she bit her lip, muffling a pain-filled sob.

‘P-please…’ she whimpered, tears flowing down her cheeks. She didn’t care about the spectators anymore, she just wanted him to stop. ‘You’ll break my fingers…’

‘Maybe that will teach you something,’ Tsukishima snarled and Yachi cried out when the pain in her fingers was too much to handle.

He would probably go on, and she was convinced he would really break her fingers if given the chance, but in that moment someone jumped over her head and delivered a precise kick right in the center of Tsukishima’s face. A satisfying crack could be heard in the silence that suddenly fell all around, as Tsukishima stumbled back, clutching at his bleeding nose. Through eyes blurry with tears, Yachi recognized the small silhouette in front of her. Only one person in school could have such bright orange hair…

‘Are you okay?’ She looked to the side and noticed that Hinata didn’t come alone. A sob of relief left her lips as she looked into Kageyama’s stormy eyes. She nodded shakily, and managed a broken ‘thank you’ when he helped her up.

‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?’ Tsukishima snapped, his eyes promising murder. ‘I’m a king, you know.’

‘So am I,’ Hinata took a step forward, shielding Yachi with his body. She couldn’t see his face, but something told her that even if she could, she wouldn’t want to see it.

‘Ah, that’s right!’ Tsukishima sneered at Kageyama, ignoring the smaller teen’s presence. ‘The King of the Court has finally lost his crown.’

There were a few snickers here and there, and Yachi noticed how Kageyama’s hand trembled slightly as it clenched into a tight fist. She wanted to tell him not to worry, but it wasn’t necessary.

‘He didn’t lose it,’ Hinata said. ‘He gave it away. Willingly.’

Tsukishima laughed. ‘Then he’s even more of an idiot than I thought. What are you now, oh great king?’ He jeered, eyes focused again on Kageyama, as if he tried to provoke him. It could have worked, if not for Hinata.

‘Hey, I’ve been thinking,’ Hinata interjected conversationally. ‘You keep on talking to Kageyama, even though I’m standing right before you. Are you in love with him?’

Yachi gasped at the sheer audacity of that comment. But the laughing and clapping all around her, along with Tsukishima’s quickly growing blush wasn’t what she expected. The teen spluttered, his cheeks and ears red from embarrassment.

‘There’s no way in hell that I would be attracted to that… that…’ he couldn’t finish the sentence, which only deepened the colour on his face.

‘Ugh,’ Kageyama who was still standing next to her grimaced. ‘That’s disgusting, Tsukishima. Don’t tell me all those insults you spit at me are your way of showing affection.’

The other only gaped at him, words long forgotten in shock and humiliation. Yachi chanced a glance at Hinata who had the tiniest mean smile on his face as he looked at Kageyama. When he noticed her eyes on him, he winked and turned back to Tsukishima. Somehow, in that moment, Yachi felt that everything would be okay now.

And it was. Tsukishima, shamed with the laughs and jeers, backed off and ran away, spouting empty threats. The rest of the students lingered a bit, congratulating Hinata for winning their strife and watching how he carefully put an arm around Yachi’s shoulders and brought her to the infirmary.

A few days later, she heard a new rumour going around from mouth to mouth at the speed of light – Hinata Shouyou is conquering the school.

 

* * *

 

Kageyama’s face was grim all the way back to their classroom. Hinata’s friend was fine, her fingers were badly bruised, but nothing that required her to go to the hospital. She was fine, and everything was going according to the plan they devised – make Hinata the king, save a few targets, get the support of the others and knock down this stupid system – but Kageyama was worried. It wasn’t that he doubted Hinata, but Tsukishima… He didn’t want to go against him this early in the game.

Through the corner of his eye, Kageyama noticed Hinata frowning. Was he worried about that too? Slowly, as the two of them became closer, Kageyama started to understand the small things about the other. He was the loud, cheery type, but beneath that all was a calculating and somewhat twisted intelligence that, to be completely honest, terrified Kageyama. That side didn’t show up much, and it most likely required some special circumstances, which Kageyama vowed to learn more of before the final phase of their plan.

And that could be done only by observation. Like how he was able to decipher Hinata’s intentions during the fight with Tsukishima. He caught Hinata’s look, how chestnut-coloured eyes glistened in malice and amusement, and how his lips stretched in a smile that made Kageyama somewhat uncomfortable. But he noticed, and he knew what he had to do to keep up their game. So he played along, the results surprising even him.

He thought the path towards their goal would be covered in blood of those who stood up to them.  That it would be fighting and breaking noses and jaws, as they forced their way through. There definitely was blood, but it wasn’t what he imagined. Hinata took a much different way of approaching the problem. Instead of knocking them down, he made them feel the same humiliation and suffering they inflicted on others. It was hard to admit out loud, but in the secluded part of his mind, Kageyama was impressed.

Now, watching Hinata from the corner of his eye, Kageyama looked for some clues to the frown that brought the other’s mouth corners down. He was chewing on his lip, harsh and insistent, something he only did when he was really worried. Could it be about Tsukishima? Somehow Kageyama couldn’t believe that. The was something else going on in that orange head of Hinata’s, the only question was what…

‘Kageyama?’ Hinata’s head snapped up, chestnut-coloured eyes meeting his, bright and focused.

He blinked in surprise, coming back to his senses. ‘Yeah?’

‘Did you mean what you said to Tsukishima back then?’ Hinata fidgeted and looked away as they walked slowly up the stairs. ‘About him being disgusting for being in love with you?’

‘Yeah, I totally meant that,’ Kageyama winced at the very thought of him and Tsukishima together like _that_. ‘That’s just… ugh, gross.’

There was heavy silence around them, and Kageyama noticed how Hinata’s steps faltered a bit. Was it because of his response?

‘Is that just Tsukishima, or would you react like that to all guys who confessed to you?’ Hinata’s voice was quieter than before and much more serious.

Kageyama froze, making Hinata turn to him when he didn’t follow him down the corridor. Could it be that…?

‘Are you in love with me?’ he asked, staring at the other. Chestnut-coloured eyes widened comically and a bright blush appeared on Hinata’s cheeks.

‘Huh?! Who would be in love with you, you idiot?!’ Hinata screamed at him, getting even redder from the effort.

‘I don’t know, you tell me! Instead of asking all those cryptic questions!’ he shouted back at him, flustered  at misinterpreting the situation. He was about to open his mouth again, when a sudden feeling of déjà vu  hit him. ‘Wait, doesn’t this look familiar…?’

‘Oh, you’re right!’ Hinata laughed, momentarily forgetting his earlier embarrassment. ‘Back when we first met, at the rooftop stairs.’

They were silent for a while, reminiscing the time both their lives changed. A small smile played on Hinata’s face, and for a moment Kageyama found himself not really minding the prospect of Hinata having feelings for him, feelings of more than friendship. When chestnut-coloured eyes focused on him again, he felt himself smirking. There was no way that was true, but he could have his fun.

‘So, are you in love with me?’ Kageyama teased, which only got him a play-punch in the shoulder.

‘Get off me, you asshole,’ Hinata pouted and Kageyama found himself chuckling lightly.

The atmosphere lightened, the stress leaving the smaller body for a while. It came back quickly though, and the muscles in Hinata’s back tensed up again. Clouded with unreadable emotions eyes looked at him briefly, before they turned to observe the floor they walked on.

‘You never answered me,’ Hinata reminded.

Kageyama only now realized what it might be all about. ‘I wouldn’t mind a guy confessing to me, not really,’ he shrugged. He didn’t have much experience in love department, but as long as both parties were okay with it, he had nothing against it. ‘As long as that guy isn’t Tsukishima. Then, I would mind.’

Hinata laughed at him, and Kageyama saw the relief in his smile. Without waiting, he pressed further. ‘Anyway, what’s with that question all of a sudden?’ Hinata tensed up again, which only made Kageyama sigh. ‘You’re gay, aren’t you?’

Widened eyes looked up at him, full of shock and the tiniest bit of fear of rejection. ‘How do you know?’

‘Wasn’t that line of questioning rather revealing?’ Kageyama raised an eyebrow. ‘You could have gotten about it in a less obvious way, you know.’

He watched as Hinata bowed his head, emotions running over his face faster than he could decipher them. There was a lot of insecurity, some fear and hatred, but then he also noticed hope and a plea for something he didn’t understand. When Hinata finally looked up again, his face was blank, eyes closed off and guarded. Kageyama was surprised how well Hinata could mask his feelings, but he didn’t say a word.

‘Does it bother you?’ Hinata glanced at him. ‘That I’m gay?’

‘Not really,’ Kageyama shrugged another time that day. They walked in silence for a while, and then he leaned towards the smaller teen. ‘So, you’re sure you’re not in love with me?’

‘Oh, shut it, Bakageyama!’

 

* * *

 

The road home was always Kageyama’s favourite time to think. Usually it was school related, but during the past few weeks all his focus was consumed by his partner in crime. No matter how much time Kageyama spent on thinking about Hinata, there was always something more that he didn’t even touch upon. At times it frustrated him, but he quickly reeled it in and continued his silent debate.

It’s been a few days since Hinata’s showdown with Tsukishima and as expected, the school was in chaos. There were so many rumours that Kageyama couldn’t keep count of them all. Some said that he was now Hinata’s lapdog, after Hinata won the crown with his fists in a full blown brawl. Others claimed that Hinata cheated him out of the king card after they had passionate, mind-blowing sex in one of the storage rooms. There was also a version where he was Hinata’s lackey from the very beginning of high school, and it was all just a part of the plan they both concocted.

Kageyama laughed at every one of those ideas. Boredom made even the smartest people turn into dumb sheep. There were, however, cases where the gossip was strangely accurate, and a fraction of Kageyama’s mind persistently whispered about Hinata’s involvement in spreading the rumours. The more rational part of him only shrugged at those allegations. So what if it was Hinata? It didn’t change their plan, it didn’t make it any harder, and it might even make it easier. Kageyama didn’t see any harm in it, but the strange, uncomfortable feeling at the back of his conscience lingered.

The school has hailed Hinata as ‘the King of the Trash Heap’, which presented the same level of tackiness as his own nickname and Kageyama always cringed at it. The King of the Court was bearable because it was an insult only towards Kageyama, but now… The Trash Heap referred to all the targets and lower classes that sided with them, and Kageyama noticed how Hinata snapped every time he heard it. He couldn’t blame him for it though, when his own blood pressure rose and made it a struggle not to punch someone.

He grit his teeth in frustration. How did this school become like this? And what were the teachers doing when this madness was just starting? With an angry swipe of the zipper, he took his now ringing phone out of his pocket.

‘What?’ he snapped without even looking at the caller ID.

‘Why are you snapping at me?’ came Hinata’s surprised and slightly hurt reply. Kageyama breathed in deeply to calm himself.

‘I’m not snapping at you,’ he started. ‘I’m snapping at… Just in general, okay?’ he ended grumpily, because he really had no patience to get into details. ‘So, what do you want?’

There was a non-committal hum on the other end of the line and Kageyama heard some shuffling, before Hinata answered, ‘I’ve seen Tsukishima and Mizuki, together. I don’t like it, they looked like they were scheming something.’

‘Like what?’ Kageyama frowned in thought, taking a corner. His steps faltered and eyes widened when he noticed both, Tsukishima and Mizuki, along with some of their friends blocking the passage. He opened his mouth and closed it again. He won’t run, and he won’t stop. He looked Tsukishima right in the eyes and walked on.

‘I don’t know what-‘

‘I do,’ he cut Hinata off, his throat clenching a bit in fear, making it difficult to swallow. ‘I might not be at school tomorrow,’ he said.

Kageyama was close to the group now, only a few steps and he frantically thought of what to do. He could hung up on Hinata and stop before them and take the bait, or he could run for it. Taking another step, he decided. He won’t run, but he wasn’t going to stop either. Maybe it’ll shock them too much to follow? As if, he snorted internally. But he still continued forward, and when he was right before Tsukishima, he stepped past him, as if he didn’t even see him.

‘Huh? What do you mean?’ was the last Kageyama heard from Hinata before he was pulled back by his uniform.

‘What the hell are you-‘ he turned around snarling, but a fist connecting with his jaw shut him up.

He stumbled back, tasting the blood from the tongue he bit at the impact, as his phone was thrown out of his hand and went flying to the ground. Kageyama spat some of the red liquid out, feeling sick at the metallic taste in his mouth. He glared at Tsukishima who was smirking smugly down at him.

‘That hurt, you asshole,’ he growled. This was low, too low, ganging up on him six against one. He stood no chance, he knew it. He just hoped they had at least enough intelligence not to actually kill him.

‘It was supposed to hurt,’ Mizuki appeared at Tsukishima’s shoulder. ‘And soon you’ll see it was a lover’s caress compared to what we’re going to do to you.’

Kageyama wanted to snarl back an insult, but a kick to his stomach took his breath away. He bowed in half and clutched at it, gasping for air, when a knee broke his nose. Blood stained the ground more and more, as Kageyama felt countless kicks and punches. He didn’t even know when he fell to the ground, showered with relentless blows.

The pain was unbearable. His body ached with the slightest of movements, and even breathing hurt. Kageyama didn’t remember if he screamed or not, but there might have been at least one time, right when they were breaking his arm. He tried to cover his face with the other one to minimize the damage to his head, but his shoulder was pulled back and the pain of cracking bones blinded him for a few long seconds. He might have screamed then too.

There was a sharp pulsing in his lower abdomen, the only thing that reminded Kageyama of his still beating heart. Somewhere along the way he stopped feeling everything else. His eyes were closed, breath whizzing and each next getting more and more shallow. He was enveloped in a cocoon of pain, which now was only a constant tingling at the back of his consciousness that lingered in his limbs and body. He didn’t feel much more. He didn’t hear the voices above him, didn’t feel the wind, no cold, no warmth.

A harsh kick to the temple sent a flash of white pain behind his eyelids, that he felt. And after that… there was nothing.

 

* * *

To be continued...

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) I promised not to hurt baby sunshine, so here, have a hurting yamyams instead~  
> 2) I sincerely apologize to all tsukki fans for making him an insufferable asshole, but someone had to do the job and I couldn't possibly introduce another OC, so ye -.-


	4. And the knight will rise again

Hinata panicked a lot. It was often a consequence of him overthinking even the simplest of things, but as he now knew, that wasn’t true panic. There was no fear chocking his breath out in shallow pants. There was no painful throbbing in his chest as his heart pounded against his ribcage, the pulse echoing in his temples. There was no ringing in his ears and no ache to tore at his muscles. And there definitely wasn’t that uncomfortably vivid, foreboding feeling that made his head spin with worry. Until now.

He called Kageyama on an impulse, it wasn’t like he had any real reason to do it. Tsukishima and Mizuki were only an excuse, although he has seen them together more than he would have wanted, and it made him wary and suspicious. But he didn’t think much of it, brushing it off as something inconsequential.

Hinata smiled at the grumpiness of the other’s voice, Kageyama was so predictable. Or maybe that was Hinata’s hidden ability of reading it, honed to perfection through weeks of being the only one Kageyama would speak freely to. He would have smiled again at the slight irritation and curiosity he sensed from the other, if not for the sudden shadow of worry. Hinata would have bet Kageyama was frowning, which somehow made him frown too.

And then his voice changed.

‘I don’t know what-‘

‘I do,’ Kageyama interrupted him, and Hinata’s senses screamed in alarm at the highly alert tone of the voice from the other end of the line. It was underlined with tension and a dose of something that tightened Kageyama’s throat and made him rasp. ‘I might not be at school tomorrow,’ Kageyama said and Hinata felt his heart start the frantic beating.

‘Huh? What do you mean?’ he asked, begging all the gods to keep Kageyama talking.

But as it always is with gods, no one was listening. With a furiously beating heart, Hinata froze, listening to the scuffle on the other side of the line. He heard Kageyama’s quiet voice, too quiet to recognize the words. And then he heard another voice. And another. And another…

Before he could actually think, he was already running. Through the train station, through the crowd, he pushed past people, roughly, without stopping to apologize, his breathing hard, eyes wide and frantic. He should have known. God damn it, _he should have known_. Hinata grit his teeth angrily, taking a corner back to school. He knew the road Kageyama used to take home, but he had no idea how far the other went. His lungs hurt from the wild intakes of air, but Hinata didn’t care. He should have known Tsukishima wouldn’t leave it at that.  

At full speed, he dialled Kageyama’s number again in naïve hope that someone, anyone, would pick up the phone and either tell him where to go, or call the police. But the signal kept ringing in his ears, beep after beep, only his breath gasping louder in the speakers. Hinata cursed and tried again, running through a red light without a care for the pedestrians’ screams to look out. Kageyama needed him, if it was only Tsukishima, he could deal with him on his own. But there was also Mizuki. And Hinata had a really bad feeling this wasn’t all.

The steady beeping stopped suddenly, and Hinata did too. It was quiet on the other side, but he could hear a low murmur of breathing.

‘Who is this?’ he asked, eyes narrowed. It wasn’t Kageyama, he would know his breathing, which only left a few other possibilities. He just hoped…

‘You might want to hurry up, midget,’ Tsukishima’s voice sent a flare of blinding hatred through Hinata’s heart. ‘Your partner doesn’t have much time from the looks of it.’

Hinata heard a snicker on the other side, and he knew that was Mizuki. He closed his eyes, the fingers that were holding onto the phone shook, knuckles turned white. Ridiculously enough, he felt an answering laughter raise in his throat. Hinata smiled, letting go of everything that was holding him back, the fear, the worry, the consequences. It was a while since he last released the chains on this side of him, but Tsukishima was _begging_ for it, so he will graciously grant it to him. The smile on Hinata’s face morphed – it sharpened and quirked, the shadows lengthened, the light of the afternoon sun shining eerily in his cold, wide eyes.

Hinata chuckled, smooth and sinister. ‘You chose the wrong one of us to attack, Tsukishima,’ he said. ‘You will learn to regret it.’

He ended the call and pocketed his phone without waiting for an answer. Taking a deep breath, he curbed the urge to smash something to pieces. He won’t forget this, Tsukishima crossed the one line he should have never crossed. What happened at school was a different matter, that was the battlefield – they could fight, they could go at each other’s throats all day, but that was there. This, however… this was disgusting. It was an attack that completely violated any and all rules. And if Tsukishima wanted to play this way, Hinata was only glad to comply.

Remembering Tsukishima’s first words, he started running again. The crippling fear crawled back into his heart, and Hinata fought with his own mind that kept supplying him with the images of dead Kageyama, bloody and unmoving. His breath came in short, painful pants, throat clenched and Hinata didn’t know if it was caused by running, or seeing his friend’s battered body. He wouldn’t… Kageyama couldn’t be dead, he promised to be there when they destroyed the game, for fuck’s sake, _he promised_ …

Hinata stopped, and punched the stone wall next to him. It hurt, yet his thoughts hurt way more. Skin broke on his knuckles and warm blood welled at the corners of the wounds, lazily sliding down his fingers. This was nothing compared to the pain Kageyama was in, Hinata knew. He bowed his head, trying to calm his breathing, but all it did was spin his vision, making him nauseous. He swallowed the rising bile, and grit his teeth. He was so going to punch Kageyama in the face for all of this…

Pushing from the wall, he took the nearest corner and stopped again. He was there. Kageyama…

Seeing it was so different from imagining, now Hinata knew. There was blood, lots of blood, but it wasn’t what scared Hinata the most. Kageyama’s body was laying in the middle of the pavement, unmoving and… Hinata had to swallow hard at the sight of one of his arms bent at an angle that clearly told him what had happened.

Fighting off the momentary paralysis, Hinata run towards Kageyama, pulling out his phone at the same time and calling for an ambulance. He dropped to his knees next to his friend and reached out a hand to touch his bruised, bloodied face. It shook, and Hinata knew he was shaking too. He brushed Kageyama’s hair from his forehead, as gently as he could.

‘I’m right here,’ he whispered, sure that Kageyama couldn’t hear him, but needing to say it. ‘I’m here now, Kagyeama. It’s going to be okay, you’re going to be fine...’

He looked into Kageyama’s face, and he just couldn’t imagine how he would ever be able to continue school without him. Kageyama was his saviour, and his best friend, he couldn’t just leave him alone like that. He had to focus to see if the other’s chest was moving, but after a while, he breathed a small sigh of relief. At least he was alive…

Kageyama’s skin was deathly pale and cold, his head angled in a way that made Hinata shiver, but he was afraid to move him in any way. He just prayed for the ambulance to finally get there, the fear, worry, anger and helplessness spinning his mind. Why was it taking so long?

Hinata was so preoccupied with simply looking at Kageyama and monitoring his breathing, he didn’t even notice when someone came over and stopped at his side.

‘I-I tried to stop them…’ the voice next to him said, and Hinata snapped his head up, meeting dark eyes full of regret and helplessness, the same helplessness he was feeling. ‘I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…’

Hinata didn’t know the guys name, but he knew he was one of Tsukishima’s friends. A flare of hatred made Hinata jump to his feet and grab the other by the collar, his face twisted in anger.

‘Did you do this to him?!’ he asked, shaking the other. He was shorter than him, but fury and worry for his friend gave him the strength he needed. ‘Were you here when this happened?!’

‘Look, I tried, okay?!’ the other shouted, and only now Hinata noticed the tears in his eyes. Slowly, with hands shaking in effort, he let go of his jacket, face twisted in disgust. ‘I really tried to make them stop, but I couldn’t, I’m sorry!’

Hinata looked back at Kageyama, his fists clenching tight, nails biting into flesh. He was angry, with hot, blinding and justified anger. But ultimately, it was Kageyama’s call. He could punch this guy right here and now, relieve all the stress and overflowing emotions, but in the end it would change nothing. Kageyama had to settle this in person. So Hinata just took a deep breath to calm his rage.

‘Go,’ he barked towards the other teen. ‘Get out of here.’

The guy looked like he still wanted to say something, but Hinata already turned back to Kageyama. He kneeled next to him, and like before, brushed his hair away.

‘I’m really, really sorry…’ came a whisper from behind him, followed by soft footsteps.

Waiting was never more painful in Hinata’s whole life.

 

* * *

 

Kageyama expected pain. He thought of waking up as an agonizing ordeal, when he would hardly be able to breathe through all the suffering. But with a pleasant tingle of surprise, he learned that he was wrong. He wasn’t hurting, he was numb all over, only a slight pulsing in his head serving as a reminder of the pain he was in earlier. He couldn’t feel anything, but he was pretty sure there was an oxygen mask covering his mouth and nose, easing his breathing. He tried to open his eyes, but the brightness of the room attacked his senses with a viciousness that made him lightheaded. Lulled by the steady beeping of a machine next to him, he soon fell back to sleep.

 

* * *

 

The next time he awakened was pretty similar, he was still numb and didn’t feel a thing, but at least his mind wasn’t as clouded as before. Slowly, as if expecting another onslaught of light, he opened his eyes. He groaned and squinted, but didn’t close them. After a moment of readjustment, he slowly opened them wide again and glanced around the room he was in.

The blue-white interior and the beeping next to his left ear, which was quickly getting irritating, told him exactly where he was. He tried to sit up, but his right arm responded with a flash of pain that made him gasp in surprise and fall back at the pillows. All the painkillers made him forget how bad of a shape he was in…

When the pain in his arm subsided, Kageyama focused and slowly moved each of his limbs. His legs seemed fine, if a bit sluggish. Right arm seemed unusable for the time, and when he took another look at it, the whiteness of the cast called a grimace to his face. His left arm was in perfect condition, taking the circumstances into consideration, but the shoulder… Even through the numbness of the painkillers he could feel the echoes of the pain, raging under the surface. It will probably be a while before he can move it like he used to… He closed his eyes with a resigned sigh, too weak to get angry. At least I’m alive, he thought somewhat bitterly.

‘Kageyama-san?’ A nurse was standing next to his bed, smiling down at him, her expression serene and inviting. ‘It’s good you’re finally awake. How are you feeling?’

‘Numb,’ he mumbled, noticing with surprise that his tongue seemed to be affected by the painkillers even more than his body, slurring his words into a mess that made him cringe and roll it in disgust.

‘That’s to be expected,’ the nurse smiled reassuringly, readjusting his covers. ‘You were given quite a dose of painkillers after the operation.’

‘Operation?’ Kageyama asked, trying to remember anything that could have required an operation, but his mind couldn’t come up with any explanation.

‘You came to us in a pretty bad shape, but the doctor says you’ll be just fine,’ the nurse smiled again, not really answering his question. ‘I’m going to go call your parents and tell them you’re awake now.’

She took a few steps towards the curtain dividing him from the other patients, when Kageyama’s mind clicked. His parents knew he was in a hospital, but they weren’t there. Which must have meant they went home after getting an update on his condition. Which, in turn, meant that he has been there for more than just a few hours... Kageyama swallowed the dread raising up his throat.

‘Please wait a moment,’ he called the nurse, and when she turned to him and inquiringly cocked her head to the side, he asked: ‘How long was I asleep?’

‘Only three days,’ she answered. ‘You might want to thank your friend who brought you here, it could have been much worse if he didn’t act so quick.’

‘My friend?’ he repeated hollowly, trying to remember, but failing.

‘The short red-head,’ the nurse supplied. ‘He’s been here a few times asking about you, too. He must care about you a lot.’

With a final smile, she went to call his parents and Kageyama was left alone. Alone, with the thoughts of the short red-head, Hinata Shouyou.

 

* * *

 

It took only about an hour for his parents to get to the hospital, and Kageyama immediately felt guilty when he saw his mother’s puffy, red eyes and the bags underneath them, but when he tried to apologize, his father only shook his head and patted him on the knee, silently taking his worn out shoulders into consideration. Kageyama saw the relief in his parents eyes, and for the first time he realized how scared they must have been. All because he started to play some heroic game against the system…

During the time he spent at the hospital he had way too much time on his hands, and he quickly got bored of reading. So instead, his mind wandered towards the game, and even more often towards his one and only friend – Hinata. His memories slowly cleared up, and Kageyama remembered how Tsukishima’s gang left him unconscious in the middle of the pavement, and what surprised him, he even remembered, faintly and through the thick fog of pain, the moment Hinata found him and the shaky, warm tone of his voice. Kageyama had no idea what the other said, but somehow, knowing that Hinata was there with him, that it was Hinata who found him, made Kageyama feel at peace. He wasn’t broken, he didn’t have nightmares, nor did he feel a need for revenge; thanks to Hinata  always staying in his mind, he was safe from all of that.

And now it’s been three days since he awakened, but the red-head he spent so much time thinking of had yet to visit him. Kageyama was sure he would, but when day after day the only ones that came to see him were his parents, he got impatient. After all, the nurse said Hinata has been coming to the hospital to check on him fairly regularly, so why was he dawdling now?

The doctor said he should be able to go home in two more days, but Kageyama’s patience didn’t last that long. When his parents came back that day, he asked for his phone back, and as soon as he had it in his hands, he dialled Hinata’s number. His irritation spiked with every beep. What could Hinata be doing that was so important that he couldn’t pick up his damn phone? Kageyama’s brow twitched in annoyance when his call was finally redirected to voicemail.

‘You might want to know that I’ve been awake for some four days now, not that I’m counting, and after all I’ve been through, the least you could do is grace me with the pleasure of your annoying presence,’ he said in a fairly bored tone, and ended the call with a snap of his phone.

It wasn’t that he expected Hinata to be there when he woke up, or even soon after. But those days of silence somehow put him on edge, and he didn’t know how to cope with it, other than seeing Hinata, or even talking to him on the phone. And yet, neither seemed to be possible, which left Kageyama even more frustrated. Furthermore, there was the case of Tsukishima and his friends, and to be perfectly honest – even though Kageyama would never admit it out loud – he was worried. If they got to him, who said they couldn’t get to Hinata just as easily? Concerned for his friend’s wellbeing and tired of his own annoyance, Kageyama fell asleep, still clutching his phone in one of his hands.

What woke him up next, it seemed only minutes later, wasn’t the nurse making rounds, but the warmth on his hand, spreading up his arm in a comfortable promise of safety, which made Kageyama sigh in bliss, but reluctantly open his eyes. It was getting closer to the evening, the sun already down outside the window, and the silhouette sitting next to his bed was bathed in the fading light from behind, making it impossible to recognize who it was. Kageyama involuntarily jumped up and struggled to sit up, when a familiar giggle reached his ears.

‘Easy there,’ Hinata laughed, helping him up and fluffing his pillow. ‘I’m all yours for the next,’ he checked his watch, ‘fifteen minutes,’ he supplied with a smile.

‘Good to know,’ Kageyama grumbled.

They sat for a while in silence, Kageyama propped on the pillows, Hinata on the side of his bed, just looking at each other. And then Hinata grabbed him by the shoulders and even though Kageyama hissed at the sharp stab of pain, he let himself be embraced in a tight hug. He hooked his working arm around Hinata’s back, sensing how tense the other’s body was. The seconds turned into minutes, but with a blink of surprise Kageyama noticed that he didn’t mind their closeness at all. The way Hinata’s chin rested on his shoulder, the way his orange hair tingled his cheek, or the warmth spreading from his body and creeping into his – it didn’t make him sick, quite the contrary, it made him feel alive and safe.

‘You scared the crap out of me, Kageyama,’ Hinata’s quiet voice reached his ears.

‘Tell me about it,’ he answered just as quietly, sighing. ‘That’s not exactly my fault though.’

‘I know,’ the arms around his waist tightened for a brief moment, after which Hinata let go of him, and Kageyama reluctantly complied. ‘But they won’t bother you anymore.’

In stunned silence Kageyama watched Hinata smile, in that carefree way he used to smile so often back at school. This time, however, there was an edge to it, something that made Kageyama’s lips quirk in amusement. Hinata was clearly proud of something, and his own curiosity was too strong to hold it back. Kageyama opened his mouth to ask what did Hinata do this time, but then the tree outside his window moved, swayed by the evening wind, and the last rays of the setting sun fell on the side of Hinata’s face. Kageyama’s smirk dropped.

‘Did Tsukishima do that to you?’ he asked, reaching out a hand to grab the other’s chin and look at the ugly bluish bruise that bloomed there, marring Hinata’s skin.

‘Well, yeah,’ Hinata tried to look away, but Kageyama held his chin in place, eyes hard. ‘A lot happened while you were out.’

The bruise on his cheek was fairly new, as Kageyama noticed, but when he turned Hinata’s head to the side, he saw that it wasn’t the only one. There were rough finger marks on the side of Hinata’s neck, the bruises already half-healed. He swiped a finger down one of them and noticed how Hinata flinched away from his touch. Kageyama hissed in anger. They put him in the hospital, and now they went after Hinata. It was exactly what he feared would happen.

He turned Hinata’s face towards him and looked into his chestnut-coloured eyes.

‘Tell me.’

And Hinata did. He told him how he found him that day, bloody and alone on the pavement. He told him how insane it was when he paced in the ER waiting room for his parents or any news of his condition. He told him how hard it was to wash his blood off of his hands when he finally got back home. Or how absurd it was to go back to school the next day, and how he couldn’t look at his empty seat the whole day.

And then Hinata’s face changed, from the slightly broken, forced smile into a cold, ruthless smirk, making Kageyama inhale sharply in shock, but he stilled his jumping heartbeat and listened to Hinata who now talked of Tsukishima. Of how he boasted to anyone who wanted to listen that it was him who got Kageyama out. Of how much Hinata wanted to rip his tongue out or punch him straight in the face and break his jaw, so that he would stop spewing all that shit. Of how he hated Mizuki for smirking every time they passed each other in the corridors. Or of how he finally wasn’t able to hold his anger in and just snapped.

‘And then I thought that if Tsukishima is so proud of himself, why not give him a chance at some real popularity,’ Hinata finished, the smile on his face back to proud accomplishment, as he reached into his pocket and fished out his phone. ‘So I got this.’

‘Your phone?’ Kageyama raised an eyebrow. ‘What does it have to do with anything?’

‘Listen,’ Hinata’s smile widened.

There was a quiet beep and then Tsukishima’s voice sounded in the room, a bit muffled but the words were still recognizable.

‘ _You shouldn’t have made me so angry, you little shit. Maybe then I would consider letting you go after showing you who’s the real king, but now? You’ll end up just like your precious King of the Court. I’ve had my fun with him, so now that he’s not here to protect your ass anymore, I’m going to have my fun with you._ ’

There was some scuffle and a groan, and then the recording cut off. Kagyeama’s mouth opened in silent awe. Hinata did it. He tricked Tsukishima into confessing to what he did and he recorded it. Kageyama looked at his friend with wide eyes.

‘I wanted to wait and see you before I give it to the police,’ Hinata said, smiling even brighter than before.

‘So your face…?’ Kageyama asked, and Hinata only nodded.

‘It was a bit harder to get it than I expected,’ he smiled apologetically, looking away as if ashamed.

Kageyama shook his head in mock exasperation. ‘You idiot…’

‘Hey, shut up, will you?’ Hinata pouted at him. ‘I went through all this trouble for you, so show some gratitude, asshole.’

‘Yeah, thanks,’ Kagyeama smiled. A real, honest smile, that brightened up his eyes. It was true after all, Hinata did take revenge for him. But not only that… ‘And for saving me, too. Thanks, Hinata.’

The only answer he got was another bone-crushing hug, but that was okay with him. The beating of Hinata’s heart in sync with his own was enough. He knew Hinata could feel it too, and that his gratitude was properly conveyed, even though his words may have lacked. As they continued to embrace each other, Kageyama felt Hinata’s tension lax and only now did he actually notice how strong he was, but that underneath that strength hid vulnerability that Hinata didn’t want to show anyone. He faced Tsukishima, saved his life, took revenge in his name, and from the side it might have seemed effortless, but now Kagyeama knew how much courage it required to get through that. And Hinata did it. All for him.

‘You’re welcome, idiot,’ he heard the other’s slightly teasing voice and he rolled his eyes, punching Hinata playfully in the ribs. Instead of a punch back, Hinata tightened his arms around him. ‘We’re in this together till the very end, Kageyama,’ he said with a seriousness that was so unlike him. ‘You better remember that.’

Kageyama turned his face away from Hinata to hide his smile, placing his cheek on the other’s shoulder. After all this time, after running from the curse of the king card, after planning this whole revolution, after standing up to the system, after nearly dying at the hands of Tsukishima’s gang, he finally realized. Hinata was the first real friend he made, a friend that would do anything for him, even if he didn’t ask for it. And deep in his heart, in a part he rarely let through, Kageyama knew that he would do the same for Hinata.

‘Yeah,’ he smiled softly, basking in the warmth of Hinata’s body. ‘I will.’

 

* * *

To be continued...

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the first chapter I wrote after like 3 months break?? and oh god it was such a pain ;u; I feel like I lost the vibe of the story and my writing skills just disappeared altogether *sighs*  
> anyway, chapter 5 is already written out, and I'm currently working on the 6th (and final - hopefully for me - one), so if everything goes well, chapter 5 should be up next week ^u^)b  
> I'm also playing with the idea of a sequel (jk I have everything already planned out in detail I'm a dweeb) but I'm not sure I have enough in me to continue this story, I just really don't have the patience for writing multichapter fics *sighs again* but I guess we'll see, maybe inspiration will strike at some point...
> 
> for now - 2 (I think) chapters of 'a crown for two' to go ;3


	5. Time to rule... or not

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The quiet before the storm...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am very ashamed of how often I post updates for this fic, pls forgive me ;u; but since it's kageyama's birthday, here's a little thing to celebrate it ^u^)b

Walking to school without Kageyama was lonely, Hinata had to admit. After weeks of spending their free time together, it was weird to turn to the side and notice that no, Kageyama wasn’t there. There was so much he wanted to say to him, to share with him, to show him, but he couldn’t. Because once again, he was on his own. It painfully reminded Hinata of the time before they met, of when he was just a target, humiliated and bullied for simply being in the same room as others. And he hated every second of it, eagerly awaiting Kageyama’s return.

It was only yesterday that he went to see Kageyama at the hospital, but as hard as it was to admit, he was already missing him. Kageyama’s presence was like a wall of ice, separating them from other students and stopping the barbs and insults before they could leave their throats. Without it, Hinata felt bare and vulnerable, something he vividly associated with his past experience as a target. It seemed like without Kageyama to forcefully hold his head up and push to straighten his back, Hinata would regress back to how he used to be, and he flinched at the very thought of it happening.

So he did it himself. _For_ _as long as Kageyama’s absent, I will be strong for the both of us_ \- he repeated every day, his determination to succeed stronger than ever. His head rose higher with every insult thrown at his face, his back straightened with every glare he received, his face stoned with every snicker he was subjected to. He was the king now, and soon they would all learn what that really meant.

Yet no matter how hard he tried to motivate himself, something still felt amiss. And Hinata knew what that something, or rather someone, was. It was Kageyama, and after visiting him yesterday, today Hinata felt even more miserable than usual. He still remembered the panic he felt back in the waiting room, and how powerful his relief was when the nurse reassured him that Kageyama was going to be okay. He would laugh at himself now, but deep in his gut something twisted in unease at how close he was to losing his friend.

And then Kageyama woke up, his usual grumpy self, and Hinata couldn’t stop a smile from breaking out onto his face. Kageyama was battered and in pain, but he was himself. Hinata feared that after a terrible thing like that Kageyama wouldn’t want to continue fighting against the game’s system, and to be perfectly honest he was ready to give up too, for the other’s sake. If that was what Kageyama wanted, he wouldn’t say a word. But it wasn’t, and the joy that filled his heart right then pushed him to hug Kageyama so hard the other grunted in pain and smacked him on the head with his cast, which made Hinata yelp and Kageyama cringe at the shockwave.

Now that Hinata thought about it, they hugged an awful lot yesterday. He was used to it, having a younger sister and a very emotional mother, but he knew Kageyama was not. It was a great surprise to him when instead of sitting stiffly in his arms or pushing him away, Kageyama actually returned the embrace and relaxed against him. In that moment, with the warmth from Kageyama’s body drawing him in, Hinata realized that it wasn’t only about him losing Kageyama. It was just as much, if not more, about Kageyama losing him, and more than anything – losing his life. His arms tightened around his friend, as he promised to himself to be there for him until Kageyama gets back on his feet, every step of the way. And even after, as long as he needs him.

Hinata passed the entrance gate into the school and stopped when all eyes turned to him as if on command. He swallowed nervously, wondering what could have happened to warrant him such popularity, and then he noticed. Parked in one of the always empty car slots in the small parking lot right behind the gate was a police vehicle, the red-blue lights blinking at him mischievously. Understanding flashed through Hinata’s mind quicker than lightning. They came to arrest Tsukishima’s gang.

Hinata took a deep breath. It wasn’t his problem, not anymore. He did what was right, and he made sure Kageyama filed a report of his own before he submitted the recording as the clear evidence of who was responsible. Sadly, Kageyama didn’t remember all the names of the guys who attacked him, only Tsukishima and Mizuki. Still, they hoped that if the other four saw how much trouble these two were in, they would give it a rest. And if they were lucky, they might never see them again.

With a lopsided grin, he started walking again, ignoring the hushed whispers all around him. He didn’t know how the rest of the student body learned of his involvement in the whole matter, but he couldn’t care less. Let them talk, he thought, it’s my – _our_ – time to rule now.

He was about to go inside and head over to his shoe locker, when he noticed them. Tsukishima and Mizuki were being escorted by two tall policemen, large hands firmly on their backs, leading them towards the exit. The two teens looked less formidable and much smaller than they usually did in these corridors, and Hinata felt a brief stab of pity for them. He squashed it fast though, remembering what they did to Kageyama. They deserved no pity, it was their own fault and now they had to accept the responsibility for their actions.

He slipped past the crowd right in the time to watch Tsukishima turn his head towards him. Their eyes locked, and Hinata could see the boiling anger in the swimming gold of Tsukishima’s orbs. Acting on the spur of the moment, he swept a bow in Tsukishima’s direction, a mocking smile stretching his lips. This was his doing, it was his revenge. He heard the other’s enraged growl, and his heart swelled in satisfaction.

‘I’ll get you back for this,’ Tsukishima spit as he passed him, urged forward by the policeman’s hand on his back.

Hinata looked after them until they were safely locked in the car and only then he allowed himself the smirk he’s been holding back for so long.

‘No, you won’t,’ he said to no one in particular, and mindful of the gazes of other students, quickly moved to his locker to occupy his hands that shook slightly from the tightly controlled feeling of triumph.

He won. They won. It was over now, and _they had won_.

 

* * *

 

After a week at the hospital, Kageyama was allowed to go home, yet his joy at finally being able to move around as he pleased was short-lived. He thought that being released from the hospital would mean he was completely fine, with the exception of his broken arm, and could go back to school, but to his disappointment it literally meant going home and _staying_ home - in his bed, all day and night. Kageyama wanted to protest, but after the doctor explained to him that he had just suffered severe internal bleeding and the stitches needed the time to sink in after the operation, he reluctantly, and with a heavy heart, agreed to home arrest.

He slept soundly though the night, and from the lack of better things to do, most of the day. Sometimes he read manga, other times he borrowed his father’s laptop, anything to fight off the boredom. His mother scowled at him whenever he got out of bed for more than the light walks around his room, which somehow made Kageyama feel more restricted than when he was at the hospital. The endless bed rest was making him moody and irritated, he wanted to go out, go to school, walk. Instead, he curled up in his bed, mindful of his broken arm, and closed his eyes, evening his breathing as if to sleep. But he didn’t sleep. He was waiting.

And there it was. The doorbell rang through the house and Kageyama’s eyes snapped open, excitement coursing through his body. He heard quiet voices from down below, which brought a small smile to his lips, that he quickly wiped off of his face. He sat up in his bed, fluffed up the pillows with one hand and opened the closest book, pretending to be reading, so that when the doors opened, he looked smitten with its contents.

‘You’re not fooling anyone, you know,’ Kageyama heard and when he raised his eyes from the text, he saw Hinata carelessly dropping his bag next to the bed and sitting himself on the mattress without invitation. ‘I know you’ve been waiting for me, your mother’s told me.’

Kageyama only scowled at him, which made Hinata laugh. It was a strange sound, he mused, watching the red-head closely. Warm and tingling, as if it wanted him to laugh along, and looking at the soft blush on Hinata’s cheeks and the way the corners of his eyes wrinkled just a tiny little bit, Kageyama felt himself smiling too. And then he smacked the other on the head with his book.

‘Hey!’ Hinata shouted and pouted.

‘Better tell me what’s been happening at school,’ Kageyama said, putting the book away.

‘Nothing much, really,’ Hinata shrugged, getting more comfortable on the bed. ‘Oh, wait, I forgot to tell you! They came to arrest Tsukishima and Mizuki the other day.’

Kageyama’s head snapped to him, with a harsh ‘dumbass’ at the end of his tongue, but stopped and only scowled. ‘And? How did that go?’ he asked instead.

Some naïve side of his hoped the police would have enough consideration to go to their houses and not hold a public event of the whole matter, but as usual, reality wasn’t that pleasant. It must have been humiliating to be escorted down the hallways, he grimaced internally imagining all the curious and accusatory looks they must have gotten. But he wasn’t sorry for them, this was a slap on the wrist in contrast to what they did to him.

‘I don’t really know,’ Hinata shook his head. ‘I only saw them when they were leading them out.’

For a moment he looked as if he wanted to say something more, but then Kageyama blinked and the impression was gone. He narrowed his eyes at Hinata, but didn’t say anything. If it was important for him to know, he believed that Hinata had enough sense in that empty head of his to tell him. After what happened, he knew that he could trust Hinata to do just that.

‘So it’s over,’ he said, not really expecting an answer, but Hinata nodded and smiled at him comfortingly. Something warm tingled in Kageyama’s stomach, rising a bit higher, but he ignored it completely.

‘It is.’

They sat in comfortable silence, not even looking at each other, but that was enough. It was always like this, every day since Kageyama came back home Hinata would come visit him in the afternoon after the classes. He would usually spend some time talking about what happened that day at school, and then give Kageyama homework, maybe explain some things that seemed confusing – though he really sucked at this, Kageyama noticed with a heavy dose of amusement – and then they would play some games, just to stay with each other a little more.

It quickly became a ritual for them, Kageyama slept through the day or lazed around in bed while Hinata was at school, and then when it was over, Hinata would come over and stay at Kageyama’s till dinner. Sometimes they even ate together, Kageyama’s mother only smiling and handing him a plate without a word.

Days passed and Kageyama has finally accepted the slow pace of his mornings and the wild breeze of the afternoons. That’s why he momentarily noticed when something changed. He’s been at home for a week already when it started – Hinata stopped coming. Most of the time he still did, but there were days when he wouldn’t, and it made Kageyama wonder. It was only a day here and there, and he knew that Hinata had his own life too, so everything should be perfectly fine, but something still kept nagging him at the back of his head.

It became even more obvious when Hinata didn’t come to see him for two, and even three days, and when he disappeared for a week, Kageyama had had enough of moping around the subject. It wasn’t about him being bored without Hinata… Okay, maybe a part of it was, he had to admit, but more importantly, Kageyama was simply worried. If it was just about Hinata needing his space, then it was fine with him, but if it wasn’t… He’d never be able to forgive himself if something serious happened to Hinata and he didn’t help him. He owed him, after all.

So when he heard the doorbell ring next time around, he already had a complete plan of action devised – he will confront Hinata openly and get the truth out of him, even if he has to threaten to break off their deal. But when he saw Hinata step through the door to his room, he couldn’t follow through with his promise.

‘Why is it that whenever I let you out of my sight you always get another bruise,’ he said quietly, more to himself than to Hinata.

He closed his eyes briefly and took a deep, calming breath that uncomfortably stretched his abdominal muscles, but he didn’t care about it now. His priority was Hinata. Kageyama wanted to kick himself in the gut for not stepping in earlier.

‘What happened?’ he asked, voice calm and somewhat cold, even to his own ears.

Hinata laughed carelessly, but Kageyama could hear the edge to it and it deepened the frown on his face. ‘Funny story, that,’ Hinata sat on the end of his bed as usual. ‘I actually fell off my bicycle, can you believe that? I’ve been riding this thing my whole live, and now this!’ Hinata laughed again, and if before Kageyama was considering believing him, now it was obvious that the red-head was lying through his teeth.

‘I thought we were friends, Hinata,’ he said, looking at the other with serious eyes. ‘Why aren’t you telling me the truth?’

‘What do you mean? I just did,’ Hinata protested, but Kageyama noticed how his chestnut eyes widened slightly for a moment.

‘Was it Tsukishima again?’ he continued, as if Hinata didn’t say a word. ‘Did he come back?’

‘He didn’t,’ Hinata’s eyes flashed angrily at him, ‘and I told you already, I fell off my bike. It’s nothing for you to worry about.’

‘How much more of those do you have?’ Kageyama asked again.

He knew he was pushing it, but if Hinata didn’t want to be honest with him, he didn’t have a choice, not really. He saw the moment Hinata moved to stand up and instead of letting him go, he caught his arm and pulled. His stiff muscles didn’t move as he wanted them to, but he was still physically stronger than Hinata. Kageyama pushed him down onto the mattress, sitting on his legs and keeping him from struggling with his cast on the other’s throat. Smartly enough, Hinata didn’t really seem desperate enough to keep it a secret, because when Kageyama pulled his shirt up, he stilled, resigned to his fate.

There were bruises and scratches everywhere, some freshly blue, some turning violet, and some ugly yellow-brown, making Kageyama sick to his stomach. It must have been going on for a while now, and he didn’t even notice. He pulled back his broken arm, but Hinata still didn’t move. Gently, Kagyeama touched the red, swollen ribs and blue-violet-brown marks that left a spidery net of broken veins all around Hinata’s chest. Kageyama took a deep, shaky breath, noticing with growing hatred that every time his fingers neared the heated skin underneath him, Hinata flinched and shivered, clearly wanting to evade his touch.

‘Are you done yet?’ he heard a quiet voice, and Kagyeama’s eyes immediately snapped up only to see Hinata’s face turned away from him.

Without a word, he backed away. A part of him felt guilty for pushing Hinata this far. He was allowed to have his secrets, and what was more, Kageyama shouldn’t have undressed him forcefully. Shame stabbed him deep in the heart. He knew he was perfectly capable of winning a verbal battle with Hinata, but still, something made him forget all reason when it came to actually facing the shorter teen. And it usually ended hurting them both and straining their still tentative friendship.

Kageyama cursed inwardly at his incapability to control himself, watching as Hinata sat up and straightened out his shirt, a small frown pulling down the corners of his lips. He wanted to ask what the hell was going on, why didn’t Hinata tell him about this, why did he feel the need to hide it from him. He had to know the answers, but he patiently waited for the other to break the silence. He didn’t want to force Hinata any more than he already had.

When Hinata finallyturned to him, he wasn’t frowning anymore. He had a light, teasing grin on his face, for which Kageyama might have fallen, if not for Hinata’s eyes. They were serious, without a hint of the usual happiness and excitement.

‘At least kiss me before you get under my shirt, you idiot,’ Hinata flicked his forehead, turning away again.

Kageyama stared at him dumbstruck. Surely Hinata wasn’t bad looking, and after getting to know him Kageyama wouldn’t have any problems with dating him if it came to that – apart from their usual bickering and Hinata’s moments of stupidity that irritated Kageyama like nothing else – but _that_ he had not considered at all. As his mind slowly processed what has been said, his face turned crimson.

‘What the hell are you implying, you dumbass!’ he shouted, punching Hinata in the chest in the heat of his embarrassment. He quickly realized his mistake though, when the other flinched and grimaced in pain. ‘Oh shit… Sorry about that, are you okay?’ he leaned closer, and then he couldn’t hold back his questions anymore. ‘What happened to you? Hinata, tell me,’ he almost begged.

There was another long moment of silence, of them just sitting on Kagyeama’s bed, his hand on Hinata’s shoulder, while the other teen’s head hung low, hiding his face from Kageyama. He started doubting he will ever get an answer, when Hinata sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat, and then looked up, staring directly into Kageyama’s eyes. There was a mixture of ice and fire in his chestnut-coloured orbs, something akin to determination and cool disdain swirling in their depths.

Kageyama felt his guts clench in worry, but what Hinata said a second later was much worse than what he imagined at the time.

‘There’s been another game.’

 

* * *

 To be continued...

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cliffhanger... ooops ;3  
> I plan to finish this fic before the new years but you know how well I keep to my promises... -.-'


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